1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication apparatus, a control method for the communication apparatus, and a program for causing a computer to execute the control method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic payment services using short-range wireless communication technology (contactless communication technology), such as Felica® or near field communication, have become increasingly common, and electronic payment functions using the short-range wireless communications begin to be installed on a majority of mobile telephones.
Also, in recent years, service areas of public wireless local area network (LAN) services have expanded. Public wireless LAN service refers to a service that is connected via a wireless LAN to access points (APs) placed at railway stations, airports, hotels, restaurants, and so forth, and is connectable to the Internet via the APs. Such a service, for example, is provided by NTT Communications Corporation under the name of HOTSPOT®.
HOTSPOT® includes a service configuration called 1 DAY PASSPORT. The 1 DAY PASSPORT service will be briefly described below. When a user pays money at a shop such as a convenience store, a card on which a service parameter necessary for utilizing the hotspot service is described, is passed at a cash register. Service parameters include service set identifiers (SSIDs), encryption keys for wirelessly connecting to public wireless LAN-compliant access points, and user IDs and passwords for logging in the public wireless LAN services, and so forth. A user inputs and sets a service parameter to an apparatus to be utilized, when connecting to a hotspot-compliant AP, which thereby enables the user to utilize the hotspot service.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-44774 discusses a system that enables a user to receive provision of a service, by performing electronic payment processing using the short-range wireless communication of a mobile telephone when using a service providing apparatus, such as an amusement machine or coin laundry equipment.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-192098 discusses connecting wireless LAN service business operators and mobile telephone business operators to one another via a network, whereby a user can utilize a public wireless LAN service via a mobile telephone and a charging is performed using a charging system of the mobile telephone business operator.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0207378 discusses that utilization tickets, in which service parameters required for utilizing public wireless LAN services are stored in a memory, are issued from ticket issuing machines, and service parameters are transmitted to mobile telephones by the short-range wireless communication.
However, in each of the Patent Documents described above, a system for synchronizing an electronic payment function using the short-range wireless communication of mobile telephones with an issuance of the service parameters required for utilizing the public wireless LAN services is not considered.
In addition to mobile telephones, devices for utilizing public wireless LAN services include digital cameras and notebook personal computers (PCs). However, these devices are not typically provided with an electronic payment function using the short-range wireless communication.
Further, it is a very cumbersome task for users to input the service parameters to the digital cameras or the like.